Anger From Above
by Abandoned Anarchy Angel
Summary: Xena left Gabrielle for Ares and Velasca has returned. Gabrielle must turn to the only person who can protect her from Velasca, Callisto. As time goes on will they end up hating each other more or will they find comfort from strange sources? Summary sucks
1. Chapter 1

**Hey peoples! One thing that always caught my attention in Xena was the relationship between Callisto and Gabrielle. The hatred and pity that exists between Xena and Callisto is always emphasised. Gabrielle hates Callisto because she killed Peridicus, yet Gabrielle has a very loving and forgiving side to her. Callisto never shows any real 'emotions' or 'feelings' towards Gabrielle let's just say, she sees her more as a toy that you occasionally take out, torture and put away. Whenever Callisto speaks of her family or her 'former self' I'll put it as she sounds a lot like Gabrielle. Like in the 'Return of Callisto' she says: "...I wonder if I could've been her. I guess she's lucky in a way, she gets to leave this life so pure...burn her!" There we can see that she thinks back to Cirra and in a way, relates herself to Gabrielle. This made me wonder did Callisto ever feel 'jealous' towards Gabrielle, giving her further reason to torture her, aside from using her to hurt Xena. Well, the background to this story is that Xena picked Ares at some point, leaving Gabrielle on her own; Xena has turned bad again, now having nothing to do with Gabrielle. Callisto is a God, just freed by Hope but Solan hasn't been killed. Gabrielle is on her own and travelling around trying to find herself. Please review! Happy reading!**

**The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend:**

Gabrielle was walking through a forest. Recently Xena had chosen to go back to Ares and left Gabrielle on her own. Gabrielle was shocked with Xena's decision to fight alongside Ares. I guess he caught her at a good time. Xena was helping an army win an ongoing war. They made her commander and she began to hate the people they were fighting against. As time went by Gabrielle could see an evil Xena emerge. Xena would discard the wounded and allow them to die. If a warrior on her side made a mistake she would beat them to stop them and others from doing it again. Gabrielle later found out that Ares was influencing her the whole time. One thing that Gabrielle didn't know was how Ares got to Xena. Xena, since changing was a strong person that was always opposing Ares and was strong enough to do so.

One day in particular Gabrielle was particularly sad, there was no particular reason she was just crying a lot that day. As the sun began to set and the moon began to rise she decided that she better stop for the night. She collected firewood and put them into place. Then she went to look for two pieces of sharp stone to light it with. Although, she didn't have to as when she heard the laughter of a woman and turned around to see who it was the fire was lighting, and when she looked up at the woman, obviously a goddess, expecting to see Callisto, Goddess of Destruction but when she looked up it wasn't her, it was the Goddess of Chaos, Velasca.

"Hello Gabrielle," Velasca grinned as she looked at Gabrielle.

"Velasca?!" Gabrielle exclaimed as Gabrielle staggered backwards.

Velasca enjoyed watching Gabrielle be fear stricken.

"But Xena said you would be trapped for eternity, how did you get out?!"

"Let's just say I got a little help from Ares, he's worried that you're going to make Xena good again somehow, and he couldn't have that. So he freed me, allowing me to kill you," she grinned.

"Don't kill me," Gabrielle said softly.

Velasca laughed.

"I love death, not the dying part exactly but the screams of the dying person as the die in agony. I've been looking forward to this," Velasca grinned as she drew her dagger.

"You're a goddess, why don't you just zap me?"

"It's boring and too quick, this way I get to enjoy your death," she smiled as she walked towards Gabrielle.

Then suddenly a blonde goddess appeared from nowhere. Gabrielle was scared already and when she saw her, her fear grew. It was Callisto.

"Long time no see Velasca! How've you been!?" Callisto grinned as she put her hands on her hips.

"Get out of my way!" Velasca demanded.

Callisto grinned more psychotically.

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Velasca threw a thunderbolt at Callisto; Callisto dived away, managing to dodge it.

"You call that a shot?!" Callisto chuckled as she shot a fireball towards Velasca, hitting her directly. Velasca was weakened.

She struggled to get up from the impact.

"I'll get you for this! And I'll be back for you!" she shouted as she pointed at Gabrielle and disappeared into thin air.

Gabrielle was lying on the ground, breathless. She looked curiously up at Callisto. Callisto grinned psychotically. Gabrielle's heart started beating faster as Callisto walked towards her.

"So I hear the Warrior Princess is now the Queen of war! How does it feel to know that you're not wanted and to be all alone?!" Callisto chuckled.

"Get lost Callisto!" Gabrielle shouted back.

"I think you should be a bit politer considering I just saved your life!" she said angrily but she was more amused.

"Thank you but...why?"

"Velasca and I are enemies...you know that. And I am going to personally make sure that she leaves this world as painfully as is possible. Problem is if she kills you then she'll be happy no matter what I do. So now I've got to make sure that she doesn't hurt or kill you," Callisto grinned.

"I don't need your help!" Gabrielle shouted, looking at Callisto with fear filling her eyes.

"No? Then why did I have to save you then?" Callisto chuckled.

"I'll be more prepared the next time!"

"Really? Against a god I doubt you have much of a chance," Callisto said, grinning again.

"Well what am I supposed to do?! Xena's gone off with Ares and left me on my own!"

"Let me help you to take out Velasca," Callisto grinned.

"You...help me? How do I know that once we get rid of Velasca you won't just turn around and kill me?"

"I'll make a deal, help me take out Velasca and I promise you a quick death, as opposed to the slow one she's going to give you?!" Callisto laughed.

Gabrielle frowned as she got up off the ground, brushing the dirt off her clothes.

"You're a God, why do you need my help?"

"Well, one I need you alive so Velasca will die disappointed and angry and two, I need bait. I think you should take me up on my offer Gabrielle. It's your best chance," Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle thought about it. Callisto was right, she was the only one who had any chance of keeping her alive and besides, she didn't have a grudge against her like Velasca did. Also, she could deal with Callisto when the time would come.

"Fine," Gabrielle sighed, as she really didn't want to but felt like she had no choice.

"Good girl!" Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle sighed as she looked for two stones to re-light the fire.

Callisto laughed to herself.

"You don't need to light a fire with me around dearie," Callisto grinned as she shot a fireball at the wood making a large and warm fire.

Gabrielle sat down by it to warm herself, Callisto sat directly opposite her. She drew her sword, which made Gabrielle flinch and she began to sharpen it.

Callisto began thinking back to her family. Usually when she did this she would almost cut herself off from the world. She wouldn't notice anything around her. Gabrielle noticed this in Callisto as she kept staring at her. Usually Callisto would begin to torture Gabrielle the minute they would make any sort of eye contact, but not tonight, tonight she was away in her own little world.

"What are you thinking about?" Gabrielle asked after a while. She got no reply from Callisto, she didn't even hear her.

"Callisto?" Gabrielle called softly after another little while.

"What?" she replied as if she wasn't really listening.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"Usual...family..." she said softly.

Gabrielle paused to think for a moment. She wondered would this be a time to try and make Callisto open up. She decided that she would try to salvage something; she knew she would be safe enough as Callisto didn't want to kill her...but then she couldn't really take Callisto at her word, but she decided to take the risk, she was probably going to die one way or another.

"What are you thinking about them?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto looked away from her sword and looked intently into the fire as she spoke.

"Gods don't sleep, you know that. Every night I used to dream of my family and what happened. Now I don't sleep so I can't see what happened. I've no way to stop my memories from fading so...I just think about it a lot. She continued to look intently into the fire. She could hear the screams of her family as she looked into it; she got images of her burning home.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Gabrielle said softly.

Callisto averted her gaze from the fire to Gabrielle.

"Fire, it's what keeps their memories alive. Can I ask you something Gabrielle?" Callisto asked softly.

Gabrielle nodded, "Sure you can."

"Do you ever struggle to remember Peridicus?" she asked.

Gabrielle thought she might've gotten somewhere. "Yeah I do, as time goes by," she said sadly.

"Let me help," Callisto grinned as she stood up.

She took her sword and pointed at her stomach, "I got him right here. Remember don't you?"

Callisto then took her sword and stuck it through where she pointed.

Callisto then screamed like Peridicus did. "And he screamed just like that didn't he?" Callisto laughed.

Gabrielle started crying and ran away from where Callisto couldn't see her. Callisto started laughing manically as Gabrielle ran off.

She got back to sharpening her sword and started thinking back to her family again. Gabrielle was crying for a while, Callisto did bring back memories of Peridicus' death and now Gabrielle could remember every last detail of it. Gabrielle was also upset because her life was so messed up. Xena had abandoned her for Ares and now Velasca was free and after her, and the only person who could protect her was the person that she despised the most, the woman that had killed her husband, Callisto.

Eventually she knew it was time she got some sleep, she was tired and she guessed that if she had to spend time with Callisto that she would need all of the energy she could get. She slowly and reluctantly headed back to the fire. She knew that Callisto wasn't going to be sleeping, which scared her more. She went over to her horse (which she had gotten after Xena left) and took some of the rolled up blankets from a bag. She looked around for a smooth spot in the ground and settle there. It was opposite to Callisto so Callisto would've been looking in her direction. Gabrielle lid down with her back to Callisto.

"Gabrielle?" Callisto called quietly in a teasing tone of voice.

"Oh Gabrielle?" she called again in a higher pitched, more teasing tone.

"What do you want?!" Gabrielle demanded as she turned around and glared at Callisto.

"Goodnight," she laughed manically, enjoying the psychological torture Gabrielle was receiving.

Gabrielle didn't answer; she just turned around and tried to hold back the tears.

"Gabrielle?" Callisto called again in the same teasing tone.

"Callisto just give this up! What do you want this time?!"

"Don't let the bed bugs bite!" she grinned as she laughed manically.

Gabrielle sighed deeply as she turned around and lid down again. She was absolutely terrified of Callisto; she curled up into a ball as she held the blankets tightly.

She could feel Callisto's stare burning into the back of her. She was shaking with fear and couldn't sleep, even though she was really tired. Callisto knew that Gabrielle was terrified as she laughed quietly to herself. After a long time Gabrielle's eyes unwillingly closed as she fell asleep.

When the sun rose Callisto stood over Gabrielle and held her sword just above her face, so when she'd open her eyes it would be the first thing she'd see.

"C'mon wake up," Callisto muttered impatiently. She waited a while.

"Ugh c'mon you sleepy moron," Callisto muttered again. She waited a little bit longer.

She faked a cough. She still didn't wake up.

It took a little while longer but Gabrielle woke up, she screamed and immediately flinched. Callisto started laughing manically again.

"Callisto, will you just give this up!?" Gabrielle demanded.

"But it's so much fun!" Callisto grinned as she put away her sword.

"Not for me it isn't!" she shouted as she got up.

Callisto sighed as she walked away.

"So what are we going to do today?" Gabrielle asked.

"Not much, I really hit Velasca that time so she'll be out of action for a week at least. So I guess you're stuck with me!" she grinned.

Gabrielle frowned.

"Couldn't you take us to Ares, if I could talk to Xena she might come round?"

"I would but I don't know where to find him, I could follow him but we need to summon him, but he's too smart for that. We've got to force him to come."

"How are we going to do that?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto grinned. "I've got a plan, I'm not going to say because he'll probably hear but it'll work," Callisto nodded as a grinned turned psychotic.

"Tell me," Gabrielle frowned.

"Don't worry, it's got nothing to do with killing you, your family or Xena in one of her raids, you'll see," Callisto chuckled.

"What are we supposed to do until then?" Gabrielle sighed.

"Do what you normally would do, I'm just going to make sure that Velasca won't kill you," she chuckled again.

Gabrielle rolled her eyes. She had no idea where to go; she just wanted to get rid of Callisto as soon as possible. Gabrielle packed up her stuff and hopped on her horse with Callisto walking alongside. Gabrielle decided that they'd go to a tavern in the next town. She was hungry and it would give her more time to think about what to do...or course...not expecting what was coming next...

**Well that's it for this chapter! I'm sorry that it was boring! I just wanted to set down the premise of the story! I'll update as soon as I can and I promise the story will take off in the next chapter. Please review and tell me what you think! I have thought of a reason for Xena to have listened to Ares and one thing I want to ask you is that would you like Xena to come around by the end or should I not have her come round and do the ending as I've planned? Please let me know! Okay then, please review and I'll update soon! Thanks for reading! Bye peoples xXx! :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey peoples! Sorry for the slow update! Thank you so much for the kind reviews! I appreciate them and please keep them coming because reviews make me happy and a happy me writes better stories!! :D :P I'm sorry that the last chapter was dull but I was just trying to set down the premise of the story and to set up the characters for development. I promise it should get better in this chapter! Recommendations: Bands: Linkin Park. Books: Darren Shan Vampire Saga. Fanfics: Mine! :P Lol! Anyway, I'll get started now! Please review! Happy reading! :D**

**Something Old or Something New?:**

**Neutral POV:**

Gabrielle and Callisto were walking through a forest. They were on the way to the next town. Gabrielle wanted to go to a tavern to buy her more time. She had absolutely no idea what to do while they were waiting for Velasca to return. Callisto had been torturing her (as she always did) so she felt terribly uncomfortable. Also she knew that Callisto couldn't be trusted so she couldn't go and stay with the Amazons or with her parents.

There was a very awkward silence on the way to the next town. Gabrielle had nothing to say to Callisto and Callisto knew that Gabrielle was really intimidated by her so she chose not to speak, hoping it would make her feel less at ease. She was smiling to herself on the way to the next town; she could sense that Gabrielle felt very uncomfortable and loved every minute of it.

After what seemed like an age for Gabrielle they got to the next town. She got off her horse and headed for the nearest stable to put her in. Callisto stood near to the stables and waited for Gabrielle. She kept staring at her to make her feel very intimidated. She loved all of this psychological torture; the part she loved the most was that Gabrielle couldn't do anything about it. Gabrielle had absolutely no choice but to stay with her, if she didn't Velasca was going to give her a very painful and slow death, chances were that Callisto would do the very same thing after or if she killed Velasca. But at least she had some time to come up with a plan.

Callisto and Gabrielle started walking towards the tavern when a family suddenly caught Callisto's eye. It was two parents holding each other's hands and they had two little girls with them. They looked so happy and carefree, like Callisto and her family used to be. Callisto raised her hand to prepare a fireball when Gabrielle looked over to where Callisto was looking; she saw that Callisto was about to barbeque them.

"Don't Callisto," Gabrielle said softly standing between her and the family.

Callisto sighed.

"Why not?" Callisto moaned as she tried to get a fireball around Gabrielle.

"Because if you do then I'll give myself up to Velasca," Gabrielle said looking straight into Callisto's eyes to show she was serious.

"Fine then," Callisto said impatiently as she walked on, taking another look at the family that was so like hers.

They didn't speak again until they got to the tavern. Gabrielle and Callisto found a table and they sat down.

"Can I help you ladies?" asked the bartender as he went up to the table.

"I'd like a chicken broth," Gabrielle said softly.

"And you ma'am?" he asked Callisto.

"Nothing," she said.

"Ok I'll be back soon," he smiled and walked away.

"Why did you want to burn that family?" Gabrielle asked.

"Why did Xena have to burn mine?" was Callisto's reply.

"Fine then, but they were exactly like you were once. Why did you want to take that away from them?"

Callisto shrugged and smiled slightly.

"It's what I do," she grinned.

"I know that you were devastated after what happened to your family. But why become what you hated the most, why not fight evil?"

Callisto shrugged her shoulders again.

Then the man came with Gabrielle's food.

"Thank you," Gabrielle smiled as she took the food from him.

"So what are we going to do?" Gabrielle asked as she started eating.

Callisto shrugged her shoulders again and grinned.

"Velasca is weak; I hit her with a good shot, so she'll be out for a week at least. So do whatever you usually do. I'm just going to keep an eye out for her."

"Can't you just pop in the check how I am then?"

"No, I'm not taking the risk of her killing you."

Gabrielle sighed.

"Why do you hate me so much? I understand why you hate Xena but I never did anything to hurt you."

"I don't hate you Gabrielle. Well, a part of me does. And I do hate people in general but it's not a personal hatred. You have everything that I ever had; loving parents, a sister that loves you and a best friend. I know you're a good person but...in a way I was probably better, I was young and innocent. I'd never have harmed a fly. My family and I helped each other and everyone else in our village and then Xena came, she killed everyone that I ever loved and cared about. Your life is so like what mine used to be... for that I hate you."

Gabrielle nodded. Tears were nearly escaping from her eyes but she managed to compose herself.

"Don't get all emotional on me," Callisto smirked.

Gabrielle paused for a moment and smiled slightly. She was wondering was Callisto opening up any bit.

"Is that why you went evil? You couldn't control the evil and pain when you were young, so to cope with the pain you decided to control the evil?" Gabrielle asked softly.

Callisto shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, maybe but I don't feel anything Gabrielle. Occasionally, and I mean occasionally I do but not much. Besides, killing is so much fun," she grinned.

"But how did you change so drastically? If you were apparently like me how could you become so evil?"

"Picture yourself as a sixteen year old little girl. Your family is everything you have, everything you want. Now, watch your father get killed by soldiers, and your mother and sister burning. And just imagine the screaming. Tell me how that doesn't give you incentive for revenge," Callisto said softly. She started to feel something as she spoke about it; she could feel a lump in her throat and pressure in her eyes of tears trying to force themselves out. She sighed trying to force back the tears, it worked. Gabrielle noticed this but chose to let her alone. Soon Callisto's feelings subsided.

Gabrielle didn't speak after that. She didn't want to push Callisto too far. Besides, she wanted to figure her out before ever trying to change her. She finished eating, paid and then she and Callisto left the tavern. Gabrielle walked a little away then she stopped and looked around. She still had no idea where to go.

"What's this plan you have with Ares?" Gabrielle asked turning around to Callisto.

"Okay then, I'll put the information into your mind," Callisto said as she walked over to Gabrielle and put her hand on her forehead causing Gabrielle to flinch. There was a slight glow and Gabrielle fell back slightly. She now knew the idea.

"Are you sure that's going to work?" Gabrielle asked.

"It has to, I'm a god, he can't ignore it. As long as he does it."

"And when he does you can follow him back to wherever he and Xena are staying, maybe to Mt. Olympus? Then I can talk to her."

Callisto nodded.

"Sounds ok but how can I trust you?"

"You've no choice," Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle sighed as she sat down at the end of a trailer and thought about what she was going to do. Callisto came and sat down beside Gabrielle to annoy her, it worked too!

Gabrielle sighed and put her head in her hands. She thought hard and eventually came up with an idea.

"I've an idea," Gabrielle said after a while.

Callisto grinned; she assumed Gabrielle would try to send her on some retreat to make her good again. She chuckled slightly at the thought.

"What if we fight Xena's army at her raids? You're a god, you protect us from the army but let them live. We can try talking peace. If we do that a few times she's bound to talk to us, maybe I can get her on our side?"

Callisto thought for a moment.

"It's a good idea but you seem to forget I don't fight for justice."

"But she can help us take out Velasca, she could protect me while you fight her, with Xena on side we can't lose."

Callisto thought about it again and nodded.

"Yeah I guess you're right. And that way we don't have to worry about Ares," she said softly.

"Do you know where she's planning to strike next?" Gabrielle asked.

"No, but we can find out where she hits next and she'll go to a town near there, conquerors like to go in lines, not go sporadically like your average warlord."

Gabrielle nodded and stood up. She walked over to the stables and got her horse; she hopped up on him and went back over to Callisto. She was wearing a big grin on her face, a psychotic grin.

"What now?" she asked, frowning worrying about what Callisto might say.

"Nothing, I'll show you later," Callisto grinned as she started walking away.

Gabrielle sighed; she began to worry again about what Callisto might do.

Callisto stopped walking of a sudden and grinned.

"You know gods know when we're being talked about right Gabrielle?" Callisto said.

Gabrielle nodded.

"Well, looks like Xena is planning to go to Corinth. News was that I was seen there, she's hoping to bump into me actually, and apparently she has a proposition. What do you say we pay her a little visit?" Callisto grinned looking at Gabrielle.

"What kind of proposition does she have for you?"

"She wouldn't say, looks like we have to go there, and you can give your ridiculous peace message."

"A message of peace is not ridiculous!" Gabrielle insisted.

"Oh really, well I'm so sorry Gabrielle!" Callisto grinned as she spoke sarcastically.

Gabrielle sighed deeply as she started to ride her horse quickly out of town; Callisto disappeared and reappeared right beside the horse as she ran beside it.

"You're getting sick of me aren't you?!" Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle stopped the horse.

"I've been sick of you since I've met you!"

Callisto grinned.

"Yeah I guess you're right, I did kill your husband after all," she chuckled.

"Will you stop saying that?!"

"Fine then Gabrielle, I'll stop reminding you that I sliced open your husband which caused him to die in agony and you didn't do anything about it," Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle grabbed her staff from a rope on the side of the horse and hit Callisto with it. She was crying at this stage. Callisto laughed as the staff didn't hurt her.

"Will you stop doing this!? I can't take much more of this Callisto! I'm considering just giving myself away to Velasca! At least that way I'd at least die eventually!"

Callisto paused for a moment. She suddenly felt guilty. She hadn't felt anything remotely like guilt since Cirra, which was when she accidently pushed her sister who ended up cutting her knee. She frowned slightly; she didn't understand really what she was feeling. She hadn't had feelings in so long. She decided to ignore them.

"Look don't go to Velasca, I'll lay off," Callisto said softly. She tried to drown out her feelings but the guilt wouldn't go. It wasn't that she was changing it was just that Gabrielle had a way with people; like with Xena, she helped her become a good person, that was up until she married Peridicus. When Gabrielle went away with him Xena was never the same after she came back.

Gabrielle noticed this in Callisto but didn't say anything.

"So we're going to Corinth?" she asked.

Callisto nodded as she started to walk on.

They travelled silently for a while, Callisto had managed to drown out her feelings by making them anger and taking it out on a few villagers that they passed. When Gabrielle wasn't looking Callisto would incinerate them. After she killed a few people she felt back to normal. Well, her version of normal anyway. They stopped a few times for a rest, still not speaking. There was less tension than before. As soon as it came to be the evening Callisto and Gabrielle arrived in Corinth. Xena's army was already there, ready to attack. Xena grinned evilly as Callisto and Gabrielle approached.

Callisto stood up in front of Gabrielle and Xena's army. She grinned up at Xena who looked just as evil as Callisto.

"Hello Callisto," Xena grinned.

"Xena, so tell me. What is this proposition of yours? I'm intrigued," Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle looked up at Xena and felt terrible. She had never seen Xena like this, not face to face. Any fear that she had when she was with Callisto just grew.

**Well that's it for this chapter! Okay, I intended for the story to take off in this chapter and it didn't exactly work out! I wanted to set the characters up for further development! Could you pretty please review because reviews make me happy and a happy me writes better stories and comes up with better ideas!!! Haha! ^_^ Okay then, I'll update soon and the story will most definitely take off in the next chapter! I just decided the plot halfway through this chapter! Lol! Anyway, please review and I'll update soon! Thanks for reading! Love you all! Bye peoples! ^_^ xXx! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey peoples! Sorry for the slow update! Thank you so much for all the kind reviews so far and please keep them coming because reviews make me happy and when I'm happy I come up with better ideas and write better stories! ^_^ Also if you review I'll give you a cookie! Anyway, I'm sorry that the first two chapters were poor but as you can see I've been setting them up for character development and also I didn't decide the plot until halfway through the last chapter! Anyways, I forgot to write disclaimer in the last chapters so here it goes...**

**Disclaimer: I did not create Xena: Warrior Princess or any of its amazing characters! I wish I did, if I did I wouldn't be still in Ireland in school. I'd be living in L.A. in a mansion with a hot butler named Vinnie! Please review and happy reading xXx! ^_^**

**An Idea:**

**Neutral POV:**

"Oh that makes me so happy Callisto. Well, a little birdie told me that you were with Gabrielle. Protecting her apparently, I heard that you're quite powerful now; you managed to knock some God out of action. I could do with a God like you on my side," Xena grinned.

Gabrielle frowned almost instantly, she knew Callisto too well. Callisto would immediately switch sides if something suited her. Xena obviously didn't feel as protective against Gabrielle as she used to so Gabrielle could've been in big trouble. She knew that Callisto wouldn't physically harm her while Velasca was still alive, and she wanted to keep things that way.

"Get her Callisto now's your chance!" Gabrielle shouted.

"Oh you're here to fight me are you? Well that's a pity, we could've made great allies," Xena said softly.

"Xena stop this! This isn't who you are!!" Gabrielle demanded.

"Why hello Gabrielle, nice to see you, how's Peridicus? Oh wait he's dead I forgot! You should've stayed with me Gabrielle; I wouldn't have died on ya!" Xena chuckled, so did Callisto.

"Why have you decided to go evil again?! You had changed and I was there to help you! Why give that all up!?"

"You gave me up, that's the reason."

"But I didn't! You told me that we had your blessing!"

"I expected you to come see me! But no, it was all Peridicus!"

Gabrielle started crying. Callisto turned to her look at her, grinning slightly. For some reason she didn't like to see Gabrielle sad. She realised that she was starting to feel again so she threw a massive fireball towards Xena's army, taking out half her men. She laughed psychotically, again, drowning out any feelings or emotions with violence.

"You killed half my men Callisto!"

"Excellent observation Xena, you should be proud! Well, the reason we came was to make you an offer. Velasca, she escaped. She holds a grudge against your precious Gabrielle as we all know. I was wondering did you want to team up with us. To take her out but...as I can see, you don't seem to care much for the irritating little blonde do you? So, I guess that's a no."

"You guessed right. Gabrielle is nothing to me anymore!" Xena said, glaring at the crying Gabrielle.

"Xena you don't mean that! I know you're angry but we can get through this! You have to know that I care for you!"

Xena jumped down from her horse and slowly approached Gabrielle. She walked right up to her and gently wiped the tears from her face. She smiled at Gabrielle; Gabrielle smiled back through the tears. Then Xena dug her nails into Gabrielle's face and scope across her cheek. Gabrielle started crying even more. Callisto tried to smile, she wanted to smile but couldn't, she felt bad in a way. She screamed and threw another fireball towards the rest of Xena's army, killing the rest. She then smiled psychotically.

"Callisto you are damn lucky I didn't bring my full army! If I did I would kill you!"

"Kill me?! You seem to forget that I'm a God. You can't kill me!" Callisto grinned.

Xena drew her sword and ran towards Callisto, sticking her sword through her heart.

"Ouch don't do that! That's not nice," Callisto said frowning slightly as she knocked Xena back with a ball of energy. She laughed as Xena went flying across the path.

Callisto walked over to Gabrielle and put her hand on her shoulder so they could disappear.

"I guess our work here is done. See you soon darling," Callisto grinned as she disappeared with Gabrielle into the forest where they had stayed the night before. Gabrielle soon ran over to a rock and sat down; she put her head in her hands and started crying even harder. Callisto collected some firewood and placed it to where they had litten the fire the other night. She threw a fireball at the wood and a large fire was litten. Callisto looked over at Gabrielle who was still crying...hysterically at this stage. She sat opposite the fire, she was facing Gabrielle.

"Hurts doesn't it?" Callisto said softly.

"Not now Callisto!" Gabrielle snapped.

"I'm not trying to torture you, I'm just saying, it hurts. To lose somebody you love and feel like it's your fault."

Gabrielle looked up, she was shocked. Callisto had actually spoken to her and not at her. She was also shocked because Callisto wasn't torturing her. She nodded.

"Yeah it does, except Cirra wasn't your fault."

"I thought it was for so long," Callisto said softly.

"Why?" Gabrielle asked.

"It was a windy day, the fire spread across our village rapidly. Once the wind died down, so did the fire. My house was nothing but bits of smoking wood sticking up from the ground. I went in and found the burnt body of my mother; I held her and cried into her body for so long. Then I got up and I saw Xena, I asked her why..." Callisto said as she trailed off.

"What did she say?" Gabrielle asked.

"She got off of her horse and walked me to the body of my mother. She smiled so smugly I'll never forget it. Then she told me that it was my fault, everything, my village burning and my family dying. I was a young innocent teenager so I believed her for so many years. So I blamed myself for them dying."

"That's terrible. No wonder you got so angry."

"I don't think angry is the word that I would use anymore," Callisto said, smiling slightly.

"What word would you use then?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know, I told you before that I hardly ever feel anything. When I do it scares me so, so much. So I just kill and torture. It makes me feel better," Callisto smiled.

"You mean it makes you numb. That's not good Callisto. No matter how upset you feel you should allow yourself to feel it, it's all that will get rid of the pain."

"The pain is too strong, it'll never go."

"Tell me Callisto, when was the last time you cried about what happened?"

"When Xena told me it was my fault. After that I refused to cry."

"And you wonder why the pain won't go? You should really let it out Callisto."

Callisto shook her head.

"You know me Gabrielle, I don't do emotions. They're for the weak."

"Tell me this much, would your mother and sister want you like this after their deaths? Would they want you to isolate yourself and never allow the pain to escape? Would they want you killing and torturing innocent people?"

Callisto had never actually thought about that. She thought back to when she was young, the person she used to be. She felt so much pressure on the back of her eyes and a lump in her throat as she looked intently into the fire. She could feel her body begin to quiver. Gabrielle noticed this, this time choosing to keep at her.

"Let it out Callisto, you'll feel better."

Callisto got up and disappeared into thin air. Gabrielle looked around her in case Callisto was planning to attack her from behind. But she wasn't, she was gone. Gabrielle stayed on the rock as she stopped crying. It was eventually night time and Callisto hadn't returned. She felt slightly scared, even though she was terrified of Callisto she felt safe around her, she was worried in case Velasca would suddenly appear. Then suddenly she heard an ear piercing scream. She looked over to the mountains and it came from there. The scream was so loud, it caused an avalanche and birds to go flying away from their nests in a hurry. Gabrielle recognised this scream almost straight away. It came from a goddess, a goddess that was trapped, a goddess that was in agony, the Goddess of Destruction, Callisto.

Gabrielle started to get colder and she became very tired. She went over to her horse quietly and took some rolled up blankets. She found a smooth spot on the ground and settled to sleep there. She was shaking and couldn't sleep. Then she saw a flash of fire that came from behind her and she heard footsteps. Gabrielle gasped in shock.

"It's me," Callisto whispered as she relit the fire with a fireball. She sat down beside it again.

"Where did you go?" Gabrielle asked.

"Doesn't matter," Callisto said softly. Really, she had gone back to the village where she saw that family. She looked in all of the windows and soon saw them. She burned the house and the family. Rescuing one girl, the eldest little girl, she left her outside the house to watch it burn and disappeared.

Gabrielle felt safer that night than she did in a long time. She knew that Callisto couldn't be trusted but she felt safe. She closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

As Gabrielle slept soundly Callisto kept the fire lighting and stared into it intently. Something that Gabrielle said had really gotten to her. It was what she said about her mother and sister not wanting her to be the way she was. She took a deep breath and looked up into the sky. She knew that her family were up there somewhere.

"Oh mama, what am I supposed to do?" Callisto whispered softly as she looked at the brightest star in the sky.

**Okay well that's it for this chapter. I'm sorry that it was short and dull but for the story I've got planned there has to be a certain bond between Callisto and Gabrielle. Even if they don't know it exits themselves. Also, I just needed to develop the characters a little more and to show you why Xena went evil. Or at least some of the reason anyway, I'll update as soon as possible! Please review and tell me what you think! Sorry this chapter was short and boring! I promise I can finally pick it up in the next chapter so please don't let chapters 2 and 3 put you off the story! It's going to get better! Thanks for reading! Bye peoples xXx! **


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hey peoples! Thank you for the kind reviews so far and please keep them coming! Because reviews make me happy and when I'm happy I come up with better ideas and write better stories! I hope you enjoyed the last chapter! I'm going to make the story take off in this chapter! I just needed to set up a mutual bond between Callisto and Gabrielle, even if they weren't aware of it themselves! Anyway, I'll get started now! Please review! Thank you! Love you all! Happy reading xXx! :D**_

**And So It Begins:**

Gabrielle slept soundly that night; it was the first time for a long time. She hadn't felt safe for so long. Even though she still feared Callisto she knew now that she had two reasons for keeping her alive. One being Velasca and the other being Xena. She woke up and ducked back slightly, she was expecting Callisto to be standing over her, but she wasn't. Gabrielle sat up and took a look around. She noticed that the fire was still lighting and she noticed Callisto sitting opposite her. When she took a look at Callisto she noticed that her whole body was quivering.

Gabrielle decided to take a big risk. She slowly approached Callisto and sat beside her. She took a closer look at her and noticed that she looked completely agonised.

"Callisto," Gabrielle said softly.

Callisto turned to Gabrielle, her body was still quivering.

Even though it was Callisto Gabrielle hated seeing her like that. She put her hand on Callisto's shoulder.

"Let it out Callisto, it'll make you feel better," Gabrielle said.

Callisto looked at Gabrielle. She shook her head slowly.

"Callisto, I promise it'll hurt less if you let it out," Gabrielle said softly.

Callisto continued to look at her and a slight tear escaped from her left eye. Gabrielle gasped slightly; there was still some bit of humanity left in Callisto.

Callisto disappeared almost in an instant, leaving Gabrielle on her own. She sat there, awe struck. She couldn't believe that Callisto still had some emotions inside her. She sat for a moment thinking how she could ever change Callisto. She knew that their conversation from the night before had made a difference. Then, suddenly she heard the same screams as she heard the night before, except this time she saw fire in the air and she heard the screams from other villagers. She quickly picked up her staff and mounted her horse, and then she took off straight for the nearest village. She was too late; by the time she got there every single house was on fire. Everybody was dead and Callisto was standing in the centre of the village.

Gabrielle walked up to Callisto, frowning.

"Why did you do that?!" Gabrielle demanded.

"It's what I do," Callisto smiled as she looked around at the destruction that she had caused.

"C'mon we have to go! If you're lucky there might be some death in it for you," Gabrielle snapped as she walked towards her horse.

"Oooh really, where are we going?!" she smiled.

"To the Amazons, somebody told me that Xena plans to attack them. Please Callisto you have to help me protect them?"

Callisto rolled her eyes.

"I guess I could. But what's in it for me?"

Gabrielle thought for a moment.

"Velasca hates Ephiny and the rest of the Amazons. You could use them to draw her," Gabrielle said softly.

"Ah, and you're not the slightest bit worried that she and I won't kill them all?" Callisto grinned.

"No, because apparently the Heinz Blood Dagger is hidden near there, it would make it easy to kill her," Gabrielle said softly.

Callisto grinned and nodded.

"Good plan, where exactly is it hidden?" she grinned.

"Like I'm going to tell you," Gabrielle said walking back to her horse.

"Ah c'mon Gabrielle, you know that I could kill you all in an instant, the dagger isn't going to entice me to kill you, and it takes too long anyway."

"Oh well bully for you," Gabrielle said sarcastically.

"Oooh you're angry, I've killed before Gabrielle, what's different about now?"

"I thought you were coming round. Then you just decided to go out and kill."

"Gabrielle, if you're going to try and make me come round you're wasting your time. I don't feel, anytime I do, killing makes it better."

"Letting your emotions out would make it better Callisto. You nearly did."

Callisto sighed.

"C'mon we better go," she said as she walked ahead of Gabrielle.

Gabrielle sighed as she kicked her horse's sides lightly to follow Callisto. They walked silently for a while then Gabrielle decided to speak again.

"Y'know Callisto, Xena has killed thousands, but you're the only one to ever come seeking revenge so savagely. Why? Why don't you try to forgive her?"

Callisto started laughing.

"You tell me, are you willing to forgive me for killing your husband?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes, I am actually," she said softly.

Callisto turned to Gabrielle.

"Why don't you watch? See if you would forgive Xena," Callisto suggested.

"How can I watch?" Gabrielle asked, a little cynically.

"I'm a God I can travel through time. C'mon," Callisto said as she closed her eyes and allowed Gabrielle to travel back in time with her.

"Is this Cirra?" Gabrielle asked, looking upon a beautiful village.

"Yeah, follow me," Callisto said softly as she walked into the village.

"Can they see us?" Gabrielle asked.

"No," Callisto replied as she kept walking. She stopped in front of a house.

"You lived here?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto nodded, then a woman emerged, a blonde woman of medium height, she was walking with her arm around a young teenage girl. Gabrielle looked to Callisto who was smiling slightly.

"That's your mother and sister?" she asked.

"Close," Callisto said, not taking her eyes off them.

"That's you?!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

Callisto nodded.

"You're so different!" she gasped.

"I know," she said softly.

"_Now Callisto, will you feed the cows on the farm and I'll get your sister to come out and help you?" her mother asked._

"_Yes mama!" the young Callisto smiled hugging her mother as she skipped off towards the fields. _

"That was the last time I saw her," Callisto told Gabrielle as she looked up to the entrance of the village. Gabrielle looked also and saw Xena coming with her army.

Gabrielle looked back to Callisto.

"You had no idea," Gabrielle said sympathetically as loads of villagers were scurrying into their houses.

It was slaughter, Xena's men poured into the village, torturing, killing and dismembering the villagers. Gabrielle couldn't look at it all; she went over and stood beside Callisto, who looked around, filled with rage. Then Callisto looked to her right hand side, Gabrielle also looked and a fire started and spread rapidly across the village, the roar of the fire seemed like nothing compared to the screams of the villagers. Callisto then looked behind her, Gabrielle also looked and she saw the young Callisto screaming and running towards her burning home.

Callisto walked closer to her burning home, Gabrielle followed closely behind, the screams coming from her home was ear piercing. Gabrielle almost cried looking on, Callisto turned to her.

"The worst has yet to come," she said as she stared intently at her burning home.

The young Callisto was screaming for her mother and sister, she ran towards her home and tried to break in the door. Then Xena dismounted her horse and grabbed Callisto, holding her back.

"_My family's in there! Let me in! Please!? Let me save them?!" the young Callisto begged trying to free herself from Xena's grasp._

"_I'm afraid I can't do that," Xena grinned._

"_Look, the window there, I think that's your mother burning," Xena grinned as she left Callisto and jumped back up on her horse._

The screams from her home soon died down, apart from the agonised cries from Callisto. Gabrielle looked at the present Callisto who looked filled with both rage and despair. After another while, when it got dark the fire soon died down, most of Xena's army had left. The young Callisto went into her former home and found the body of her mother. It was badly burned. The young Callisto threw herself onto her mother's body and begged her to wake up. She cried into her body for ages. Callisto walked up closer and Gabrielle followed.

A few minutes later Xena dismounted her horse and walked over to Callisto's home. She walked only inches from Callisto and grinned down at her. Callisto looked up and she staggered backwards. Xena grinned.

"_This is your entire fault, everything that happened, your friends and neighbours dying, your family dying in agony, everything. You're to blame," Xena smiled smugly._

_The young Callisto stopped crying and looked up in complete fear at Xena. _

"_Tell me you're sorry, that it's your entire fault," Xena said harshly._

_The young Callisto was muted from fear._

_Xena gave her the pinch. _

"_I've just blocked off the blood to your brain, you have thirty seconds to live unless you tell me that it's your fault."_

_Callisto coughed and looked up at Xena. _

"_It...It....it's...m...my...fault," Callisto struggled. _

"_Good girl," Xena grinned as she took off the pinch. She walked off and mounted her horse and rode out of Cirra._

"I'm sorry mama; I never meant to hurt you. I'm sorry that I failed you," Callisto said in unison with her younger self, she sounded completely distraught.

Gabrielle looked at Callisto and started crying. Callisto was almost in a similar state but as usual she held it in.

Callisto closed her eyes and brought them back to the future.

"And you wonder why I want revenge..." Callisto said softly as she turned, walking away from Gabrielle slowly.

Gabrielle ran up to her, catching her arm and turning her around.

"I'm sorry Callisto, I didn't understand," Gabrielle said softly, still crying. She was feeling quite disturbed after what she'd seen.

"That's the problem, nobody does," she said looking down.

"Callisto, I do understand why you want revenge. That was terrible what happened. And you were so young. You had your whole life ahead of you."

Callisto turned to walk away again, Gabrielle was starting to annoy her, not by the way she was speaking but because she kept making her emotions come to the surface. She didn't want to feel, she couldn't, it would hurt too much. Even though she knew that her mother and sister would want her to stop killing and allow herself to feel, she couldn't. She had no idea what to do with the pain after she'd allow herself truly feel it. But Gabrielle kept saying things that got to her, that made sense; Callisto was starting to worry whether she would be able to hold in for much longer. Gabrielle noticed that Callisto was starting to feel something, she felt bad pushing her so hard but she knew that it had to be done. Gabrielle caught her arm and pulled her, turning her around again.

"Callisto, your mother and sister wouldn't want this. As much as you may still believe it nothing that happened was your fault. You were only a sixteen year old little girl. Callisto they wouldn't want you to be in this much pain, they'd want you to let it out, to set yourself free," Gabrielle said softly.

Callisto closed her eyes to try and keep in the tears. She caught Gabrielle and started shaking her. Gabrielle was still crying.

"Will you stop it?! I can't take this anymore!" Callisto shouted at Gabrielle.

"What other way have you got of feeling better?!"

"Killing her spirit, her soul and her heart, getting revenge, because I need her to suffer for what she did to my family and me!"

She let Gabrielle down, Gabrielle grimaced slightly; her arms hurt. Then she put her hand up to her cheek and felt the cut that Xena had given her. She soon felt a little enraged. She recognised that look that she saw in Xena's eyes earlier that day, it was the look she wore back in Cirra. Gabrielle knew that she was evil, that there was no changing her again, not with Ares. She hated what she saw in Cirra and what she was seeing today. She didn't want what happened to Callisto to happen to anybody else. Gabrielle ran a little and stood in front of Callisto.

"Fine then, what do we do?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto's eyes widened.

"What?" she asked in amazement.

"The Xena I knew is dead, she's gone. From what you've showed me, she can't do any worse. So what do we do? We can't let her continue like this. She's not Xena anymore, she's a monster. And we can't let her hurt anymore people," Gabrielle said, thinking back to what she said about Peridicus.

Callisto thought for a moment.

"Let's sort out Velasca first. We'll sort Xena out later, there's nothing in this world important to her at the moment, or at least not that I know of."

"I don't want her dead; we just need to make her lose the bloodlust. If that means killing her heart and soul so be it, I don't like doing this but it's to save so many."

"So we're going to the Amazons then?" Callisto asked.

Gabrielle nodded.

Gabrielle mounted her horse and Callisto walked beside them. They stayed silent; it wasn't as awkward as the silence a few days before.

Callisto broke the silence a while later.

"I've got a plan," she grinned.

"What is it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Tell me, who do you hate more than anybody else at the moment?"

"Ares, he took Xena from me," Gabrielle frowned.

"Who does Xena need the most at the moment?"

"Ares," Gabriele replied again.

"And who's the only person likely to protect Velasca from us?"

"Ares," Gabrielle replied again. "Where are you going with this?" Gabrielle added.

"Well, we want to kill Velasca, hurt Xena and maybe get some satisfaction out of this. And I know just the way to do that!" Callisto grinned.

"How is that?" Gabrielle asked.

"We kill him," Callisto grinned.

_**Well that's it for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it so far! Thank you for the kind reviews so far and please keep them coming! Reviews make me happy! ^_^ I'm sorry if what I'm doing with Callisto is hypocritical. It's just what I'm trying to do is that Gabrielle is bringing out the best/ true Callisto, but Callisto is so, so scared that she doesn't want to feel. Also, she hasn't felt in so long that she doesn't know how to deal with it. That's why she's switching between a psychopathic killer and a truly sad person. I am going somewhere with it, maybe it'll be the next chapter or maybe the chapter after that but I'm going to make Callisto and Gabrielle bond. I've come up with and ending and I love it! It'll be a good one! ^_^ Anyway, I'll update as soon as possible, I seem to be ahead of what I've updated so I'll update in three, four, maybe five days. Please review! Thanks for reading! Love you all! Bye peoples xXx! ^_^**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Hey peoples! Thank you so much for the kind reviews so far! Please keep them coming! Sorry for the slow update! I hope you've been enjoying this so far...and if you are then woohoo! ^_^ Anyway, I should have Callisto and Gabrielle bond in this chapter, or it might be the next, I don't know. We'll just have to see how the story goes! ^_^ anyway, I'll shut up and get this started! Hope you enjoy! Sorry for the very slow update, my internet is broken so I can't update off my own computer! So they'll be slow for a while! Sorry! Happy reading xXx!**_

**Opening Up:**

"We have to kill Ares?! Callisto, I don't know if I can kill," Gabrielle said softly as she jumped off the horse.

"You don't have to, I'll do it, but it's the best way. That way Xena will stop these raids because without a God on her side she'll be hopeless until she builds a new army, he'll more than likely protect Velasca from us so with him gone she'll be easier to get rid of and also I hate Ares, as do you, so we get a bit of self satisfaction," Callisto grinned.

"I guess but I don't agree with murder."

"With Ares dead Xena might come to her senses and come back to you."

Gabrielle thought for a moment. She didn't agree with killing but what was one life when you could save so many?

"Okay then," Gabrielle said, frowning.

"Good, now, to the Amazons then. We'll need the dagger," Callisto grinned.

Gabrielle sighed slightly as she got up on her horse and she and Callisto took off again. They were quite far away from the Amazons. About two nights away; after travelling silently for a few hours they came to a stop in the forest.

Gabrielle allowed her horse to get a drink from the river and she gathered some firewood. After she put them into place Callisto threw a fireball at it and sat down opposite Gabrielle. Once again she took out her sword and started sharpening it. Again, like before, she was deep in thought. Gabrielle looked on; she decided to try one more time.

"Thinking about your family again?" Gabrielle asked.

Callisto nodded without looking up. She knew that Gabrielle was trying to get to her again.

"Y'know it's not too late to release your pain. When you screamed last night, it was you releasing your pain wasn't it? But you do know unless you cry it out, talk about it. Being angry doesn't take away the pain, you know that."

Callisto sighed and looked up at Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle, I can't let it out. I won't know how to deal with it," Callisto said softly.

Gabrielle got up and sat beside Callisto.

"You won't be alone, I'll help you. As I've told you before, your mother and sister would hate to see you like this, they'd want to release your pain and get on with life. And you won't be alone anymore. I'll help you," Gabrielle said softly putting her hand on Callisto's shoulder.

Callisto turned to Gabrielle. She hated this, she felt completely weird. She wasn't used to speaking nicely to somebody, nor letting her emotions out. But strangely she felt comfortable around Gabrielle. She trusted her.

"But I'm scared," Callisto said softly, turning away.

"Don't be, c'mon, let it out. Set yourself free. Make your mother and sister happier by becoming happier yourself."

Callisto took a deep breath; she felt the pressure beginning to build at the back of her eyes. She closed her eyes and put her head in her hands.

After a few moments she felt her hands get a little wet; Gabrielle noticed this and put her arm around Callisto.

"It's ok, everything will be fine. Things will get better."

"Aw. Isn't this just sweet?!" a female voice mocked.

Gabrielle looked up in complete fear, and Callisto grinned a little behind the few tears she had shed.

"Well Gabrielle, it's been a while. And you too Callisto, I've a bone to pick with you two," she grinned.

"Get back Velasca!" Gabrielle said staggering backwards.

Callisto stood in front of Gabrielle in a defensive stance.

"You hit me well Callisto. I must say I'm impressed myself. Except, now I see that you are a sentimental fool, so I guess that makes things a little easier for me," Velasca grinned as she got a thunderbolt ready.

"No you don't," Callisto grinned as she threw a fireball at Velasca.

Velasca jumped out of the way and the fireball hit a few trees, setting them on fire. Velasca immediately threw a thunderbolt towards Gabrielle. Callisto got up quickly and dived in front of it. It hit her hard and she screamed as she fell to the ground. Velasca grinned. Callisto struggled but managed to stand up. She staggered as she walked closer to Velasca.

"Looks like you're not the only strong one," Velasca grinned.

Callisto screamed as she threw another fireball at Velasca who easily dodged it.

"I wonder could two strikes kill you," Velasca grinned as she threw another thunderbolt towards Callisto. Gabrielle dived at Callisto, knocking her to the ground, so the fireball didn't hit her. It was close to hitting Gabrielle.

"This is getting really irritating!" Velasca moaned.

"See ya later darling!" Callisto said mockingly as she put her hand on Gabrielle and they both disappeared. Velasca cursed under her breath.

"I'll get them," she said to herself as they disappeared.

Callisto reappeared near on the outskirts of a village.

Callisto looked up at Gabrielle, confused.

"You saved me..." she said softly.

"You took a thunderbolt for me Callisto, you know that could've killed you," Gabrielle said softly.

"Yeah I knew. But for some reason I don't want you dead...and not just because of Velasca," Callisto said softly.

"I used to be so scared around you, and hated being around you, but that's gone," Gabrielle said softly.

They both paused for a moment.

"Can I ask you a question Callisto?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yeah," she replied, looking at Gabrielle.

"I know that you cried a little earlier, do you feel any better?"

"Lighter, I guess you were right. Releasing the pain helps. When you said that you would be there for me and that I wouldn't be on my own, did you mean that?" Callisto asked.

"Yes," Gabrielle smiled slightly.

Callisto thought back to her family, she imagined her mother and her sister. They would want her to be happy. She wasn't sure if she could stop killing but if she could lose the pain, she figured that her mother and sister could rest more peacefully. Also she now trusted Gabrielle. She could see why Xena was able to put up with that 'Irritating little blonde'.

"Thank you," Callisto said softly.

Gabrielle smiled.

"If you ever want to talk about what happened, you know you can," Gabrielle said softly.

"Thank you," Callisto said again.

Gabrielle looked around.

"Where do we go now? Velasca could come back and you're weak."

"I guess to the one place where she wouldn't image we'd ever go."

"Where's that?"

"To the Amazons; she'll think that we won't go there in case she'll follow us, it's the safest place," Callisto said.

"Ok then. Are you fit enough to walk?"

"I'm a goddess, I don't need to walk," Callisto grinned as she put her hand on Gabrielle and disappeared, reappearing in front of the Amazon village.

"Wow, it's nice to be back," Gabrielle smiled to herself.

"Can't say I am but...let's go...I guess you better lead the way," Callisto said softly.

Gabrielle nodded as she walked in.

"As for the Heinz Blood Dagger, it's in a wall near these parts. There's a Hestian Temple, it was put in the wall outside there."

Callisto nodded as she disappeared to get the dagger. Gabrielle walked into the Amazonian lands. She went up to the door of a familiar hut and knocked on the door.

"Gabrielle," Ephiny smiled as she hugged her old friend.

"Can I come in? There's some stuff we need to talk about."

"Like what?"

"Like Velasca being free."

_**Well that's it for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for all the kind reviews so far, please keep them coming! ^_^ I'll update as soon as I can! I love the Amazons so I might have a few chapters with them in it, although I'm not sure. If you'd prefer that I kept going with the story then please say, if you'd like me to stay writing with the Amazons for a while then please say and I will. If I get no opinions I'll do a few chapters with the Amazons. Anyway, please review! Thank you for reading! Love you all! Bye peoples ^_^ xXx! **_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hey peoples! I'm so sorry for the slow update! My internet is broken! *Cries* LOL! Anyway, thank you so much for the kind reviews so far and please keep them coming! I'm thinking of doing a few chapters with the Amazons because they rock! I've got some plans for them! Would you please take my Xena poll which is on my profile!? Thanks! Please review! I hope you enjoy this! Happy reading ^_^ xXx!**_

_**The Amazons:**_

"Velasca's back?! How?! I thought Xena trapped she and Callisto for eternity."

"Callisto was freed by Hope as you know and Ares freed Velasca."

"But why would he free her? She's a rouge God. She can only cause trouble."

"Yes. I'm sure you've heard about Xena's change. It came after I left with Peridicus. She thinks that I hate her so she turned to the way of war with Ares. Thing is that he thinks that I might somehow change Xena back to the way of justice so he brought Velasca back to kill me."

"That bastard," Ephiny muttered to herself.

"But I should be safe because Callisto is protecting me."

"Callisto...is protecting...you?" Ephiny said as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"She and Velasca are enemies. Callisto didn't want to allow Velasca the satisfaction of killing me so she decided to protect me. The weird thing is that she's coming round. I managed to get her to open up about her feelings. I think she's changing."

"I wouldn't trust a woman like that," Ephiny said seriously.

"I didn't at the start but I had no other chance of surviving. But we've kind of come to an understanding...she's not going to hurt me and the Amazons should be safe."

"So she's stopped killing?"

"No, not at all but she won't kill anybody that means anything to me. We were hoping we could hide here. Velasca hit Callisto with a thunderbolt so she is weak. She won't be able to fight her properly. Callisto said that this would be an obvious place for us to go, so Velasca wouldn't look for us here. She'd think that we'd hide somewhere very far away, like a mountain or in caves. Do you mind if we stay here?"

"I'd be delighted. After all, you are rightfully our Queen. I'm giving you back the crown while you stay here."

"Ephiny, you are the Queen."

"But you have the right of cast. By rights, you are our Queen. How have you been without Xena?"

"It's been really hard. I can't go home, Xena was my home. Potidea is...a little quiet for me."

"Then why don't you stay with us? You can lead us as Queen. You'd be great."

"Well there's this whole thing with Ares and Velasca. I can't, I'd put you in too much danger."

"Please come home Gabrielle. At least think about it. Xena's gone. There's nobody else for you except us. Everybody here would love to have you back. You'd be safe here."

"Thank you Ephiny but we can't stay. We're going to put you in too much danger."

"What about Callisto? She assisted in killing Xena's son and tried to take out us and the Centaurs. How can you be sure she can be trusted?"

"She and I...well...at the start she gave me a very hard time. But after a while...we've...bonded. I mean, I've been trying to make her release her emotions about how she feels for her family. She finally did and she actually asked me would I be there for her. She also told me that Velasca is not the only reason why she wants to keep me alive. I think that we can trust her. And I know that must be hard for you."

"Well Gabrielle, if you, our Queen can trust her then so can we," Ephiny said, smiling slightly.

"Thank you Ephiny," Gabrielle smiled.

"Where is she now?"

"She's getting the Heinz Blood Dagger. It can kill a God. We're really going to need it against Ares."

Ephiny gasped. "Ares?!"

"Callisto took us back in time to Cirra. She showed me what happened there. The army came into the village without anybody expecting them. I saw Callisto with her family, they were really close. Callisto was a sweet little girl. When she came back from feeding the livestock she saw her house in flames and tried her best to break in. Xena saw her and held her back, and pointed in a window to show her, her mother's burning body. Afterwards she came back and told Callisto everything that happened was her fault. She made her say it. Callisto was frozen by fear at first but spoke when Xena put the pinch on her. She loved making her suffer. Xena had a look in her eyes that day, it was evil and fiery. When Callisto and I met her not so long ago, she had that same look. So Callisto came up with a plan for her own self satisfaction, to stop Xena for me and to get revenge for both of us. That's killing Ares."

"Well Gabrielle, you and Callisto will not have to face the God of War on your own. I along with the rest of the Amazons am going to help you."

"Ephiny no..."

"Gabrielle, you are the true Amazon Queen. And whether you stay with us or not is irrelevant, we would always try to protect you. You and the good Xena saved us many times. That Xena is dead and she wouldn't want to see this happen. Also, you are not only my Queen, you are my friend. I want to protect you."

"Thank you Ephiny but sending the Amazons to Ares would be suicide. Callisto can hold her own against him and she also has advantages; the Heinz Blood Dagger and the element of surprise."

Ephiny nodded. "Okay then. But if you need any help from us at all..."

"I'll let you know Ephiny," Gabrielle grinned.

"Okay then. You can sleep in this hut, there's a spare bed. What's Callisto going to do? Does someone need to keep watch?"

"No it's ok, she won't hurt you. We may need your help soon enough, we'll need to lure Velasca or Ares around here."

"Do you know how yet?"

"No, I guess Callisto can come up with a plan."

"I've got one. I'm guessing you'll want to kill Ares first so I've an idea of how to lure him. The Amazons can send word out of the dagger's whereabouts and I can almost guarantee that Ares will come for it. He'll know that Callisto is protecting you and he'll know you'll try to kill Velasca so he'll come for the dagger. And if Callisto gets the dagger he'll bet that she'll go after the rest of the Olympians."

"That's a good plan. He'll fall for it. Then maybe once he's dead Xena might come round."

"Well we'll worry about that later. For now we need to keep you safe. You look tired, you need some rest."

Then Callisto appeared out of nowhere. Ephiny flinched a little and then put her hand on her sword.

"Don't worry Amazon. I'm not going to kill you," Callisto smirked.

"Did you get it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yup, right here! I can't wait until I get to stick it through Ares' heart!"

"Good you got it. You should take it easy for a while. Velasca, if she can't find us will come here eventually. She has a grudge against the Amazons."

"With this she'll be no match for us. You look tired, get some sleep," Callisto grinned as she sat down and threw a fireball in the fire.

"Callisto...you're not going to...hurt any Amazons are you?" Gabrielle asked, frowning a little.

"Not if you don't want me to," Callisto said as she sat in front of the fire.

"Good, okay then. Night," Gabrielle said to Ephiny and Callisto as she went to the spare room.

Ephiny sat down opposite Callisto and glared at her.

"What's the problem Amazon? Scared?" Callisto grinned.

"No, I'm just making sure you don't hurt anybody."

"I doubt you could even stop me if I wanted to. But I'm not going to hurt you Amazon."

Ephiny didn't reply. She kept her hand firmly on her sword and glared at Callisto. Callisto smirked slightly.

"Fine then, you can watch me all night if you want," Callisto smirked.

Ephiny sighed as her eyes began to close. She tried her best to keep them open but couldn't. She was afraid that when she would wake up, or, if she would wake up Callisto might've hurt the Amazons. She was woken in the middle of the night by Salari. She started knocking on the door frantically.

Ephiny got up quickly and ran to the door. She opened it and asked what was wrong.

"It's Draco. He has built a massive army and wants to invade. The army is really big and he has reinforcements. There won't be enough of us to win. Have you got a plan, my Queen?"

"Gabrielle is our Queen now and we've got bigger problems than Draco."

"What problems?"

"Velasca's out."

"No way, she can't be!"

"I'm afraid so. Gabrielle and Callisto are hiding here. Callisto was weakened by Velasca. They're hiding here because this is one of the last places she would look for them."

"Is Gabrielle alright?"

"Yes she's fine. Come in, we have to come up with a plan to stop Draco."

Salari walked in and sat down by the fire. She glared at Callisto. Callisto smirked a little.

"Don't worry Amazon; if I wanted to kill you all you would be dead already."

Salari didn't answer. Ephiny went into the spare bedroom to wake Gabrielle. A few moments later Ephiny came walking out with Gabrielle.

"Hello Gabrielle," Salari said warmly. Gabrielle smiled back.

"Draco plans to attack. He's bringing in a huge army and he has reinforcements. We don't stand a chance. We were wondering could you help come up with a plan, considering you fought alongside Xena for a long time."

"You don't stand a chance. Draco and Xena were once allies and now enemies. Once Xena hears of Draco trying to conquer the Amazons she'll bring in her army. And this will be a little personal; Ares wants Gabrielle out of the way because she's the only person who has a chance of making her good again. So Ares will probably bring in his army alongside Xena's. If they slaughter the Amazons together he'll hope that either Gabrielle was one of the dead or that this'll make her hate Xena."

"So what do _you_ suggest we do then?!" Salari snapped, not liking the thoughts of being easily overthrown. Either way she was going to fight.

"Get the Centaurs on side. That way you'll have two armies facing three and you'll have more land for casualties and to store food and anything like that."

"I don't want my son mixed up in this," Ephiny said sternly.

Callisto sighed, "So sentimental."

"What if we killed Ares soon? I mean, before he could attack. That way Xena would have no extra power because she'd be without the aid of a God."

"But you're weak Callisto; you won't be able to take him."

"I won't, but Velasca can."

"Callisto, she bears a massive grudge against Gabrielle and the Amazons. She'll never help you. Gabrielle told me that you are enemies also," Ephiny said softly.

"Yes, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I'm going to pretend that Gabrielle turned on me and we're going to pretend that Xena turned good again. So she'll think that Xena and Gabrielle are reunited. Then, I'll propose that we take you on, two on two. Then, when we are facing you, Ares will intervene to save Xena and Velasca will attack. Once he's weakened I'll kill him and...stab her in the back," Callisto grinned as she started fiddling with the sword.

"It's a good plan but it's risky. What about the Amazons against Draco? We'll fight, without even hesitating but we won't be able to hold them for long," Ephiny said.

"Xena might change. If she see's that Gabrielle still loves her and cares about her it may just be enough to change her back. If so, I'll bring her back here and she can help fight them. By then it won't matter if I have strength or not so I can barbeque them," Callisto grinned again.

"Ok then, we'll warn the rest," Ephiny said as she and Salari walked out.

"Do you really think Xena will change? I think she's too far gone," Gabrielle said softly.

"It's you that kept Xena on the good side. You bring out the best in people. I mean, look at me, how much you've done for me and to me, I mean, fighting alongside the Amazons!" Callisto smirked. "It was less likely that you would get to me than get to Xena, and you got to me so, Xena's a piece of cake," Callisto grinned.

"Thank you Callisto. When do we do all of this?"

"Nobody should be attacking for a few days so I'll allow my strength to build up a bit more. I'll help the Amazons prepare for Draco. Then I'll approach Velasca."

Gabrielle smiled as she walked out.

"Hey sweet pea! Please tell me you don't plan killing my brother?!" Aphrodite said as she appeared out of nowhere in front of Gabrielle.

_**Well that's it for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! Sorry much didn't happen, it was mostly dialogue. The next chapter will be better and Aphrodite will be in it (she rocks!!!). I'll update as soon as possible! Please review! Thank you for reading! Bye peoples ^_^ xXx! **_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Hey peoples! I'm so sorry for the slow update! I took a little break from writing and I found it hard to get back into the story. Anyway I'm back! This chapter will be better than the last one (the last one really sucked!) so I hope you enjoy this! Please review and thank you for all the kind reviews so far! This will be my last chapter as I am currently writing my own story and want to work on other fanfics. Happy reading ^_^ xXx!**_

_**The Execution:**_

Gabrielle jumped back slightly; she got a shock when Aphrodite appeared out of nowhere. She frowned guiltily as she looked at Aphrodite.

"I...I'm not going to kill Ares..." she lied.

"Don't lie to me sweet pea, I heard you. You want to kill him. I heard you talking to Callisto, what's going on with that girl by the way?!"

"Aphrodite. I'm telling you I'm not going to kill Ares."

"Oh I know you're not but Callisto is and you're going to help her. We Gods know these things. Why?"

"We're trying to stop Xena on her evil rampage. Without Ares she'll have no army and no power. Also we'll be ridding her of her evil influence," Gabrielle finally admitted.

"Why kill my brother?! C'mon Gabrielle, there must be some other way!"

"There isn't. We've Velasca chasing us too. She was freed by him and we have to kill her too. Ares will be the only one that will protect her."

"Why don't you let me help you? If Callisto has been weakened you'll have a fully powered God, I'll help as long as you don't kill Ares. Please?"

Gabrielle thought for a moment. Then another plan entered her head.

"Okay, but you have to capture him somehow. If we fake his death Xena might come round. I can't promise...Callisto is unpredictable. She hates Ares. But once Xena comes round I'll have no reason to wish him dead and if I tell her that, maybe she won't kill him."

"Thanks sweet-pea. I owe ya!"

"Just help us take out Velasca and to win round Xena. Once that's done, I'll owe you one!"

"Okay then sweet-pea! What's the plan?"

"We were going to make Draco's and Ares' armies fight each other. It looks like they'll both be attacking the Amazons."

"How is that going to sort out Xena and Velasca?"

"I plan on stepping in, Callisto will protect me. How are you going to distract Ares?"

"Hades can trap him in the Underworld. All he's got to do is swap him with Sisyphus so Ares will have to roll that stone up hill. Don't worry, he won't disturb you sweet-pea."

"Thanks Aphrodite. I'll tell Callisto of our new plans. Thank you again."

"My pleasure sweet-pea, I kinda miss the good Warrior Princess."

"Yeah, me too, I'll see you soon," Gabrielle said as she disappeared into thin air.

Gabrielle went looking for Callisto and Ephiny. She told them of her new plans and they seemed keen to go along with that. The Amazons contacted the Centaurs to be prepared in case either of the armies started to attack in that direction. After a while the two armies started to march towards Amazonian lands, Xena's men coming from the east and Draco's men coming from the west. The Amazons immediately started attacking the two armies as Gabrielle started looking for Xena. Soon enough the two armies were fighting each other and the Amazons in their land. Gabrielle searched in desperation for Xena but couldn't find her.

She decided to check the west of the land, where Draco's men had come from. Then, suddenly, Velasca appeared in front of her, wearing a smug grin on her face.

"Hello Gabrielle," she grinned.

"Velasca, what do you want!?" Gabrielle snapped as she worriedly looked around for Callisto.

"Well, I had a plan to just kill you but...I can see that you're desperate to find Xena so...I might kill her first."

"No you won't! Cuz we've got the Hinds Blood Dagger!"

Velasca's eyes widened. Even if Callisto was weak she wouldn't stand a chance if they had the dagger.

"Interesting, thank you Gabrielle, I think you've made up my mind for me. I think I'll just kill you now. Even if I do get killed I won't care, as long as you're dead," Velasca grinned as she drew her sword and advanced towards Gabrielle slowly.

Gabrielle looked up in fear at Velasca as she slowly backed away, she looked around for Callisto who there was no sign of.

"Looks like Callisto never really cared about you. If she did, wouldn't she be protecting you? And for Xena, I have to say the same. How does it feel that everybody you love hates you?" Velasca grinned as she gently laid her sword on Gabrielle's neck."

"Xena would change again if given the chance, I know it."

"Well it didn't work, did it?" she grinned as she put pressure on the sword, drawing a little blood of Gabrielle's neck.

Gabrielle didn't reply, she just closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat.

The next thing she noticed was the screams coming from Velasca as the sword left her neck. Gabrielle's eyes snapped open and she noticed Xena's chakram flying around and Velasca with only one hand. Gabrielle looked around and saw Xena grinning as Velasca glared over at her.

"Brilliant shot Xena, but that only was effective when I was a mortal," she grinned as another hand grew back.

Gabrielle slowly started to walk away, not taking her eyes of Xena. She wondered if she still cared. She started to slowly walk over towards Xena who was still looking at Velasca.

"Pity you had to ruin things Xena. With Gabrielle's husband dying, you rejecting her and Callisto not being here for her...her life would've been just perfectly horrible when she died. Why spoil it?"

"I think you'll find Velasca, she rejected me."

"Oh no she wanted you back. It almost killed her leaving you. In a small way she was relieved to return to you, but you just through that back in her face," Velasca smirked.

Xena's eyes widened a little.

"Now you die," Velasca grinned as she threw a thunderbolt towards Xena.

Gabrielle quickly jumped in front of it, allowing it to strike her. With a scream of agony she fell to the ground, dead.

Velasca started laughing hysterically as a tear fell from Xena's right eye. She snapped back into her old self. Gabrielle wouldn't want any of this. It was then that Xena realised that Gabrielle didn't see her as second best. She looked around at her army. It had cost her, her friend, her soul mate. She glared at Velasca who was laughing hysterically.

"That felt so good! Look Xena, because of your stupidity, your little friend is dead. And it's your entire fault," Velasca said smugly.

"What have I done?" Xena whispered to herself as she hopped off Argo and rushed over to Gabrielle's body.

"And now it's your turn," Velasca grinned as she raised her hand, preparing another thunderbolt.

"Ugh!" she grunted as a sword pierced its way through her heart.

"Ladies first," Callisto grinned as Velasca's life drained from her body. She fell with a thud to the ground.

"Where's Gabrielle..." Callisto began until she saw Xena holding her body.

"...she....is...is she dead?" Callisto asked shakily.

Xena nodded as she rocked back and forth.

"And it's my entire fault. For all that I've done. I didn't realise that I still meant something to her."

"Oh you meant something alright! She used to cry and cry because you hated her!"

"I never hated her!"

"Well she thought that you did! Y'know, I used to wonder how you could put up with such an irritating little blonde. After staying with her, for such a short time, I can see now. And you just threw that away!"

"Well I am going to change. For her, not like she'll ever know. She died thinking I was evil."

A plan suddenly popped into Callisto's head.

"How long is she dead?"

"Who cares, what difference will it make!?" Xena snapped.

"Just tell me!"

"About five minutes."

"Give me her body," Callisto said softly.

"Callisto what is your plan!? I know you were only protecting her from Velasca so she could suffer!"

"At the start yes but not now..." Callisto said softly as she kneeled down.

"Give me her body!" Callisto demanded.

Xena glared back.

Callisto shot a ball of energy at Xena, causing her to go flying back into the distance. Callisto laid Gabrielle down gingerly and placed her hand on her neck. She closed her eyes and a white light surrounded them. Xena looked on in astonishment as she got up off the ground. She ran back over in case Callisto was harming her body. Xena pushed Callisto away and looked back down at Gabrielle. All of a sudden Gabrielle coughed a little as her eyes opened.

"Gabrielle?!" Xena exclaimed with a big smile on her face.

"Xena?! Gabrielle replied weakly as she began to open her eyes.

"You're not dead!? But how?" Xena asked as she looked over at Callisto who struggled up off the ground. She saw blood on Callisto's arm.

"You gave up your immortality to save her didn't you?" Xena asked Callisto, in astonishment.

"She what?" Gabrielle asked as she slowly sat up.

"She gave up her immortality to bring you back."

Callisto got up and began to walk away.

"Thank you Callisto," Xena said softly, smiling a little.

"I didn't do it for you. I just didn't want her dead, especially as unhappy as she was."

"Is there any way I can ever repay you for what you've done?" Xena asked.

"I don't want anything from you. Just...don't go evil, stay with Gabrielle and keep her happy."

***

Later that day, Callisto was walking out of Amazonian lands when Gabrielle ran up behind her.

"Callisto!" she called.

Callisto turned around and smiled at Gabrielle.

"Callisto, thank you for everything," Gabrielle smiled.

"It's ok, as long as you're happy. It's a pity Velasca had to die satisfied."

"I'm just glad she's dead," Gabrielle grinned a little.

"Yeah me too."

"So what are you going to do now, are you not going to travel with us?" Gabrielle asked.

"I can't Gabrielle, she killed my family. I'll see you around," Callisto said as she tried to disappear into thin air, forgetting she was mortal.

Gabrielle laughed a little.

"Ouch, I think I ruptured something," Callisto smirked as she began to walk away.

_**Okay I know that was a terrible chapter but I'm so, so, so sick right now and my writing isn't great! And to be honest I want to finish my Xena stories so that I can work on other categories. Thank you for reading and review so far! I really appreciate it! Bye peoples ^_^ xXx! **_


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